


A Haunting Past

by Author_Chan06



Series: Joker and Antic [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Other, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Platonic Cuddling, Soft Joker (DCU), Verbal Abuse, comfort cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_Chan06/pseuds/Author_Chan06
Summary: Antic has a nightmare. Joker is surprisingly good at comforting her.
Series: Joker and Antic [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016530
Kudos: 2





	A Haunting Past

_Her feet hit the ground heavily, mud sticking on it and making the ground slippery. She tried to keep her footing, breath coming out in pants as she runs, and runs. Teeth chattering, and eyes burning. She tried to snuggle more into her sweater, but the rain soaked it, chilling the child to the core. With a sob, she barreled forward, pushing through the bushes and brambles and letting out little gasps as thorns poked her skin._

_The footsteps got louder, faster, behind her, causing her to speed up. Her sobs grew as the chase continued, face wet and itchy as tears and rain mixed on her face. She reached up, wiping at her face with her hands. But the mud smeared on her face, getting in her eyes. Eyes watering, she quickly closed them._

_But she kept running. Blindly dashing as fast as she could, hands outstretched in front of her, pushing everything out of the way. Footsteps seemed to easily follow her, like it was unaffected by the elements all around it._

_Suddenly, her foot caught on something and she was thrown down. A gasp stolen from her lips as she crashed to the ground. A crack resounded in the area, and she started to sob, eyes blurring, and wrist throbbing, while she cradled it softly._

_The figure finally emerged from the brush, a satisfied smirk on his face and a bottle in his hand._

_She gasped. Her hands shooting down to push her off the ground, causing a pain to shoot through her arm and down her side. She cried out, falling back down into the mud._

_What was she doing? This is so so stupid! Did she really think he would ever leave her alone? Did she really think she could run away from her own dad? So stupid!_

**_”Yeah, it was. I can’t believe you thought I was gone! Just because some idiot with a purple suit made you think you’re better than what you really are? Or is it because you have a ‘friend’?”_ ** _He chuckled, taking a swig of his alcohol, and towering over her. Caging her in his shadow, again._

 ** _”You’re a failure, Ann. Just like you’ve always been! It’s no surprise, you’re the daughter of two failures, and two wrongs don’t make a right, remember?”_** _She sniffled, eyes wide, as she watched him. Her wrist throbbed to the beat of her heart, and she stifled another sob._

 **_”All you’ll even be is useless, failure, that’s fucking crazy, a real waste of_ ** _**space!** ”_

_He growled, his hand extending. She yelled, hand coming up to shield from the bottle, as it broke atop her head._

**_”You’re never going to get away from me, Ann!”_ **

Antic gasped, sitting up in bed so fast her head started to pound. The covers fell to the floor in a heap, as her breathing became hysteric. She could still feel the phantom pains in her wrist and her dads words ringing in the air.

_”Useless!”_

_”Failure!”_

_”Waste of space!”_

Reaching out blindly for the edge of the bed, her sobbing shook her to the core.

She padded the way to her door, still trying to get her breathing in control. Her fingers twitched, and she stopped herself from trying to hide her face with her hands, by using them to open the door.

Before she knew it she was standing in front of Joker’s door, face wet and sticky, her wrist still hurting from a fake injury and just barely not hyperventilating.

She really was pathetic, wasn’t she? No, she couldn’t think like that!

Steadying herself as best she could, she knocked on the door. Some noises came from inside, and then she could hear him walking to the door. As a last minute fix, she tried to wipe some of her tears off with her sleeves.

He opened the door with flourish, eyes shining in the dark hall. “Well hello Antic, what are you doing up so-“ He froze, taking a look at her. “What, ah, happened kiddo?”

”It was - it was a nightmare...” He nodded soundlessly, ushering her into his room. She took a timid step inside, but with the comforting atmosphere, she seemed to relax little by little. Her eyes darted around the room, stopping at the photo’s on the table. She smiled softly. It was familiar, reminded who she’s with. If somehow her dad was still alive J could save her. She knew he would.

”Do ya wanna talk about it?” Shaking her head, she crawled her way onto the bed, and started wiping her eyes again. The bed sunk down next to her and she felt lanky arms wrap around her, pulling her onto his chest, as he leaned his head on the headboard. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest. He shifted, pushing her ear towards the area above his heart. “Just...try and breathe with my heartbeat, alright?”

Nodding mutely, she followed his instructions, snuggling a little closer and hoping he wouldn’t mind.

_In. Out. In. Out._

_In. Out. In. Out._

A small smile worked it’s way onto her face, she hummed. She sat there for a moment, working up her courage to tell him a little about the dream. “I-it was about my dad...” 

He bristled, eyes wide as he stared at her. “Well then...how would you feel about me being your father figure...?”

A warm feeling spread through her, and she giggled. “Yes! Of course!” She sniffled, eyes blurring again, but this time with happy tears. “J...you’re the best...” Her eyes started to droop, the warmth enveloping her, as started to fall out of consciousness, but she heard one last thing before she did, making her smile a little bigger.

”You’re not bad either kid...”


End file.
